Isabella Carter
Snopes is a fact-checking website that has covered a range of topics, including politics. The site has been accused of having a liberal bias, with some users claiming that it leans too far to the left and presents false information. However, Snopes' founder, David Mikkelson, has stated that the site receives more complaints of liberal bias than conservative bias, and that the same standards are applied to all political urban legends. In terms of funding, Snopes has stated that it does not accept funding from political parties, campaigns, or advocacy groups, and that it is funded through advertising, paid memberships, direct contributions, and merchandise sales. The site has also received awards and donations from organizations such as the James Randi Educational Foundation and Facebook.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Political donations | Snopes does not accept any form of funding from political parties, political campaigns, or political advocacy groups. |
| Funding sources | Advertising sales, paid memberships, direct contributions, and merchandise sales. |
| Political leanings | Snopes has been accused of being biased towards the left, but has also received more complaints of liberal bias than conservative bias. |
| Founders | David Mikkelson and Barbara Mikkelson |
| Founding year | 2003 |
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What You'll Learn
Snopes does not accept funding from political campaigns
In a 2015 article, Snopes addressed the question of whether it is biased. The article stated that the site receives more complaints of liberal bias than conservative bias, but that the same debunking standards are applied to all political urban legends.
In 2016, Snopes said that all of its revenue was derived from advertising. That year, it received a one-time award of $75,000 from the James Randi Educational Foundation, an organisation dedicated to debunking paranormal claims. In 2017, it raised approximately $700,000 from a crowd-sourced GoFundMe campaign and received $100,000 from Facebook as part of a fact-checking partnership. Snopes also offers a premium membership that disables ads.
Snopes has stated that it does not accept funding from political campaigns or political advocacy groups. The site is funded through programmatic digital advertising sales, paid memberships, direct contributions, and merchandise sales. Advertisers and vendors have no contact with the editorial staff and do not influence the content published.
Snopes co-founder David Mikkelson has said that he has never donated money to a political candidate. He and his wife, Barbara, who co-owns the site, are described as "two of the most apolitical people." Barbara, a Canadian citizen, is not allowed to vote in the US or contribute money to US candidates.
Despite these statements, some people have accused Snopes of political bias. Some commenters have claimed that the site is left-leaning and presents a "politically motivated, liberal, left-wing propaganda" perspective. Others have criticised the site for not disclosing the names of all individuals who contribute to a given fact check, arguing that this lack of transparency makes it difficult to assess potential conflicts of interest and bias.
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Snopes's co-founders are not involved in politics
The co-founders of Snopes, David and Barbara Mikkelson, have stated that they are not involved in politics. David Mikkelson has said that his "sole involvement in politics is on Election Day to go out and vote". He has never "joined a party, worked for a campaign or donated money to a candidate". Barbara Mikkelson, as a Canadian citizen, is not allowed to vote in the US or contribute money to US candidates.
Despite these statements, some have accused Snopes of having a liberal bias. In 2009, Snopes addressed a political rumour regarding George W. Bush, and in 2015, the site was accused of being pro-Republican and left-leaning. However, Snopes has stated that it does not accept funding from political parties, campaigns, or advocacy groups, and that its revenue comes from advertising, paid memberships, direct contributions, and merchandise sales.
In 2016, Snopes received an award from the James Randi Educational Foundation, an organisation that debunks paranormal claims. The following year, it raised $700,000 from a crowd-sourced GoFundMe campaign and $100,000 from Facebook as part of a fact-checking partnership. Snopes has also stated that it does not accept political advertising and that it offers a premium membership that disables ads.
While the Mikkelsons have denied involvement in politics, the site has addressed political topics and rumours, and has been accused of bias by various commentators. However, Snopes maintains that it applies the same debunking standards to all political urban legends and that its funding comes from non-partisan sources.
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Snopes investigates political claims
Snopes has been accused of political bias in its reporting, with some claiming that the site has a liberal or left-wing bias. However, Snopes founder David Mikkelson has denied these allegations, stating that he and his ex-wife Barbara are "two of the most apolitical people" and that they have never donated money to a political candidate or worked on a campaign. Mikkelson also said that Snopes receives more complaints of liberal bias than conservative bias, but that the same debunking standards are applied to all political urban legends.
In 2009, FactCheck.org reviewed a sample of Snopes's responses to political rumours regarding George W. Bush and found no evidence of political bias. Snopes has also been praised for its solid and well-documented research processes, with other fact-checking organisations sometimes linking to Snopes articles rather than conducting their own investigations.
While Snopes has been accused of bias, it is important to note that the site does not accept funding from political parties, campaigns, or advocacy groups. Instead, it relies on revenue from advertising, paid memberships, direct contributions, and merchandise sales. Snopes also offers a premium membership that disables ads and has received awards and funding from non-partisan organisations like the James Randi Educational Foundation.
Despite these assurances, some critics argue that Snopes should be more transparent about its fact-checking processes, including disclosing the names of all individuals who contribute to a given fact check. There have also been concerns raised about Snopes's lack of contact with the authors of articles being fact-checked, which some see as a deviation from standard journalistic practices.
In conclusion, while Snopes has been accused of political bias and a lack of transparency, the site has also received recognition for its solid research and commitment to debunking political urban legends without accepting funding from political sources.
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Snopes has been accused of political bias
However, Snopes has denied these accusations, stating that it does not accept funding from political parties, campaigns, or advocacy groups. In 2009, David Mikkelson, the co-founder and CEO of Snopes, stated that he had never "donated money to a candidate" and that he and his wife, Barbara, were "two [of] the most apolitical people". Barbara is a Canadian citizen and therefore cannot vote or contribute money to US candidates. David's voter registration form also shows that he declined to state a party affiliation.
Despite these denials, some readers continue to accuse Snopes of bias. In 2015, one reader commented that Snopes's articles on political rumours were "slanted". Another reader, in 2016, expressed disappointment in finding a "personal agenda against Hillary Clinton" on the site.
While Snopes maintains that it does not accept funding from political sources, it has received awards and funding from other organisations. In 2016, Snopes received a one-time award of $75,000 from the James Randi Educational Foundation, an organisation dedicated to debunking paranormal claims. In 2017, it raised approximately $700,000 from a crowd-sourced GoFundMe campaign and received $100,000 from Facebook as part of a fact-checking partnership. Snopes also offers premium memberships that disable ads.
In addition to concerns about political bias, Snopes has also been criticised for a lack of transparency in its fact-checking process. For example, Snopes typically does not disclose the names of all individuals who contribute to a given fact check, making it difficult to assess potential biases or conflicts of interest.
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Snopes has fact-checked the 2024 US Election
- The misleading post that Harris only won in states not requiring voter ID in 2024.
- Whether all votes were counted on election night in 2024.
- If Joe Biden announced his 2028 US presidential run hours after the 2024 election.
- Whether ABC aired the 2024 US election results from Pennsylvania days early.
- If Biden posted "That's what you get for kicking me out of the race" on Election Day 2024.
- Whether US Rep. Jamie Raskin said Democrats "won't be certifying the election".
- Whether Google searches showed a map of "where to vote for Harris" but not for Trump on Election Day 2024.
- If a baseless claim that Harris went crazy and "snapped" at the "lack of PA voter turnout" is true.
In addition to fact-checking political claims, Snopes also investigates a variety of other topics, including urban legends and popular culture. For example, Snopes confirmed that the mother of former Monkee band member Michael Nesmith invented liquid correction fluid.
While Snopes has been accused of political bias by some readers, the site maintains that it does not accept funding from political parties, campaigns, or advocacy groups. Snopes' revenue comes from advertising, paid memberships, direct contributions, and merchandise sales. The site has also received awards and funding from organizations like the James Randi Educational Foundation and Facebook for its fact-checking efforts.
Snopes employs a collaborative process for its fact-checking articles, with multiple individuals contributing to a single piece. However, the result is typically credited to the writer of the initial draft, leading to questions about transparency and acknowledgement of all contributors. Despite these concerns, Snopes remains a popular and trusted source for fact-checking information, particularly during significant events like the 2024 US Election.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Snopes does not give money to political campaigns. The company has stated that it does not accept any form of funding from political parties, campaigns, or advocacy groups.
Snopes has been accused of having a liberal bias by some readers. However, the company has stated that it does not endorse any political party and that the same debunking standards are applied to all political urban legends.
Yes, Snopes accepts funding from outside sources, including advertising, paid memberships, direct contributions, and merchandise sales. The company has stated that these sources do not influence the content they publish.
Yes, in 2016, Snopes received a one-time award of $75,000 from the James Randi Educational Foundation for providing unbiased, fact-based answers to confusing questions. The company has also received funding from Facebook and through crowd-sourced campaigns.
